


The Beast Within

by Raiderwing



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Shapeshifters, Animals, CUTE BABY ANIMALS, I don't know how tags work, I should stop, Kinda, M/M, Mpreg, Multi, Omegaverse, Who said I'm gonna
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:55:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21564130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Raiderwing/pseuds/Raiderwing
Summary: What exactly makes a beast and what makes a man? In this world, there are humans and human-animals. The latter is a species of people who evolved from animals and are able to shift between being human and being a beast and while their population is considered big enough, there are the rare ones, predators. Big cats, wolves, bears and so on are difficult to find and even more feared than the usual human-animals, cats, dogs, birds and other small predators and prey. In short, human-animals are different in many kinds of ways.And being different can be dangerous.
Relationships: Hazuki Nagisa & Ryuugazaki Rei, Kirishima Ikuya/Tono Hiyori, Matsuoka Gou/Mikoshiba Seijuurou, Matsuoka Rin/Nanase Haruka, Shigino Kisumi/Shiina Asahi, Tachibana Makoto/Yamazaki Sousuke
Comments: 6
Kudos: 36





	The Beast Within

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, guys... So, this is my first time writing anything on this platform and I really hope you'll all enjoy it!
> 
> I've been wanting to write a fanfic about Free! for a really long time, and I'm passionate about animals so... Why not mix two of my favorite things and see what comes out?
> 
> Anyways, I hope you all like it~!

He found blood tasty, and it caused him immense guilt. _Maybe I am nothing more than a predator anyway_ , he thought bitterly while looking down at the dead cat beneath him. It took no more than a single bite in the neck to kill the animal, which was an obvious fact considering his big and strong jaw against the stray cat's much smaller shape. He sighed, grabbing his fresh-killed prey and climbing into the nearest tree to feed in peace.  
  
It was kind of difficult to keep up with his hunter instincts in school. So many small things have been able to trigger the beast inside him in all his life, to make his head spin and awake the animal sleeping inside the cage he constructed for it, and people would get scared each time his inner self attempted to come out. He talked to almost no one because of that. He didn't want to wake the beast.  
  
While he ate, his mind wandered off with thoughts of his friends. What would they think of him if they saw what he truly was? Would they be scared? Would they feel threatened enough to abandon their bond with him? No, he could never bear having his friends leave him because they discovered what he was and what he could do. So, he promised himself that he'd never tell them. It was better to live in the shadows with his friends than accept himself and see their expressions of horror, as self-deprecating as it sounded. He should know better than hide forever and pretend to be something he was not, but he didn't mind as long as he could live his life and pursue his dreams in peace. He needed, however, to calm his instincts down once in a while. As a human-animal, he needed to hunt and wander off now and then. For that, he usually had a couple of excuses noted in his memory for situations in which he needed to dismiss his friends to relieve his inner animal and have a walk by himself in the forest. His nightly trips to the forest were lonesome and pleasing, in a disturbing kind of way. It was scary how easily he could adjust to feral life to the point that he found walks on the forest at night were relaxing as if it was his true destiny living his life as a beast in the wild.  
  
He sighed once more when he was finished eating, leaving behind bones and the intestines of the cat. He refused to eat anything that carried feces inside it. He climbed down from the branch he was lying on and brought the rest of the feline with him, starting to dig behind a bush. When he'd made a hole deep enough, he placed the already eaten prey inside and buried it. A predator he could be, but he wasn't a monster. He respected life and it's meaning and felt like every life mattered, big and small.  
  
Rising his head up in the air and inhaling deeply, he scented the fresh breeze of the night coming from the beach that was a couple of kilometers away from him, and it had the salty scent of seawater. He wondered if he should head back to the city or have a walk on the beach instead, and he chose the latter. The animal elegantly stretched before heading to the beach in a rapid run among the trees, guided by the scent of the sea getting closer and closer as he dodged the trunks and the peacefully sleeping animals of the forest. Seeing a fast silhouette of a silvery animal running around was something alarming for people and animals alike.  
  
While running, he saw a fox hide close to the ground and a group of deers speed the pace of their walking. Boy, being a predator had its benefits sometimes, he was the one they were scared of and not the other way around.  
  
Upon arriving at the beach, he stopped by the thin border of sand and earth while looking around to see if there was anyone around. An animal so big like that needed to be careful about where he set his paws on, or else he could end up wounded or even dead. People were willing to dedicate their entire lives on hunting a person like him down, and he didn't want his head as a trophy in someone else's wall. When he felt safe enough to step on the sand, he proceeded to walk towards the water, drawn by the way the waves quietly hit the shore. The animal kneeled in front of the water, watching it closely and attentively. When the water came after a wave, he lifted and shook his paws upon the sudden cold touch. Huffing, he looked over to the right side but stopped making any sounds whatsoever. He crouched down, cursing himself for being silver and not camouflaging in the yellow sand. He was going to be seen.  
  
A man was standing in front of the shore, not so far away from him.  
  
The animal's breath hitched in anxiety as the man moved, but got more relaxed when he realized that the human didn't pay attention to him. He probably didn't even notice the beast's presence.  
  
A sudden breeze came and the man stood against it, upwind. Taking the opportunity to identify the unknown one, he rose his dark red nose in the air and sniffed it when the current of air brought the scent to him. Such a sweet and known smell, he couldn't help but purr when he completely relaxed upon realizing who the man was. Of course, it had to be him! Who'd be up so late at night and at the beach?  
  
He shook his ears attentively while watching Haruka Nanase sit in the sand, his piercing blue gaze staring peacefully at the sea. The raven-haired boy looked so handsome under the moonlight, quietly appreciating the salty water in front of him, that he couldn't help but allow himself to appreciate the sight presented to him as well. Truly a sight he'd never seen before.  
  
While admiring Haru, he thought about his relationship with the blue-eyed young man. He had been in love with the water-maniac for so many years now that it almost made his heart hurt with unresponded love. It seemed as if Haru only had eyes for the pool, to the point of being in a romantic relationship with it. Of course, he wasn't dating the pool, but he would if he could. The animal lowered his gaze, looking down at his paws covered in sand and wet from the seawater. Not only Haru's personality made it difficult for him to talk openly to the boy, but being a human-animal also didn't help.  
  
He chuckled lowly to himself as he shifted back to his human form, red hair falling to his face and his soft paws becoming long and elegant fingers. No one ever noticed Rin's pain or distress anyways, no matter how angry or sad he looked. They always shrugged it off, a grown man needed no worrying over. Seeing Haru sitting by himself in the sand made him consider going there and talking to him. What would Haru do if he told the raven about his friend being a human-animal or his love for him?  
  
Shaking his head, Rin sighed and turned back to the forest. It would be best if Haruka knew neither.

**Author's Note:**

> So that is it for today's chapter! It's more of a prologue anyways...
> 
> Hope you liked it! Any constructive criticism or opinions are highly appreciated! <3


End file.
